James Smith
A tiger shark surprised Australian scientists on an ocean research trip by regurgitating a land-loving spiky echidna in front of them.
James Cook University researchers said Thursday that they were observing marine life off the northeast coast when the three-metre tiger shark they captured vomited up a dead echidna – a spiny hedgehog-like creature.
Nicolas Lubitz said he could only assume the shark swallowed the echidna – also known as spiny anteaters – while swimming in the island’s shallow waters, or traveling between islands, which animals tend to do.
“We were quite shocked by what we saw. We really didn’t know what was going on,” he said Thursday. “When he spat, I looked at him and said, ‘What the hell is that?'”
Lubitz said he struggled to get his phone. “I was only able to take one photo, but you can see the outline of the echidna in the water,” he said.
Nic Lubitz, James Cook University
Lubitz said the dead echidna was intact when it was regurgitated in May 2022, leading scientists to assume the shark had only recently eaten it.
Echidnas – which are only found in Australia and New Guinea – are mammals that lay eggs, have protruding spines on their bodies and use a beak-shaped snout to eat ants. According to WWFDuring breeding season, echidnas like to form a “train” in which up to 10 male echidnas follow a female in hopes of becoming her mate.
It’s unclear how many of these animals are in the wild.
“Tiger sharks will eat anything. They’re just scavengers. I’ve seen videos of them eating a rock for no reason,” Lubitz said. “I think the echidna must have felt a little strange in its throat.”
The tiger shark was unharmed after its sharp snack and scientists fitted it with an acoustic tracker before releasing it back into the water.
As part of the research project, which ran from 2020 to 2023, scientists tagged 812 fish, rays and sharks with trackers for 10 years to understand more about their movement and behavior.
Tiger sharks are classified second by the International Shark Attack Archive for the number of unprovoked attacks on humans, second to white sharks. Last year, a Russian he died after being attacked by a tiger shark in one of Egypt’s Red Sea resorts.
Although echidnas are not considered endangered, one specific type of animal – the Attenborough long-beaked echidna – is considered critically endangered at the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. One was caught on camera last year for the first time in decades.
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